COMODO Antivirus Free Part 4: Virus Scan Essentials

While we have discussed in depth the various alerts and settings which COMODO Antivirus provides by default, there are a few additional options which further enhance the already robust antivirus protection provided by COMODO Antivirus free. To access them follow these simple steps:

Step 1. Double click the COMODO taskbar icon (represented by a white letter “C” within a bright red shield) to open the COMODO program status summary.

Step 2. Click the “Antivirus Tasks” tab. The program summary will change to display eight antivirus options/icons. While all of these options may be used to great effect in securing your computer system, we will be focusing on only the most essential of these options for the purposes of this article, starting with the “Run a Scan” option.

Run a Scan

“Run a Scan” allows you to immediately scan a pre-defined area of your computer. By default these areas are broken down into three selectable scan locations:

As the name implies, “Scheduled Scans” allows you to schedule virus scans for a future date and time, depending on your needs. By default, COMODO Antivirus will scan your system for viruses at a predetermine time, once a week. If you wish to have COMODO schedule additional scans, follow these steps:

Step 1. Click the “Add” button. The “Scan Schedule” will appear.

Step 2. Give your new scan a name in the “Name: dialog box.

Step 3. Choose what location you would like scanned by selecting it from the “Profile:” drop down list.Note: Any scan profile created previously under the “Run a Scan” option will be available in the “Scheduled Scans” list as well.

Step 4. Select your date and time to perform the scan, then click the “Apply” button.

Step 5. Your newly scheduled scan will now be displayed in the “Scheduled Scans” list. Click the “Apply” button in this window to save your currently scheduled scans, or click the “Add,” “Edit.” or “Remove” options to edit your scheduled scans list.

Scan Profiles

If you wish to create a general scan location profile for use in the “Run a Scan” and/or “Scheduled Scans” options, click on “Scan Profiles.” “Scan Profiles” allows you define, delete, and edit scan profiles just as you have in the “Run a Scan” and “Scheduled Scans” options above. This lets you select and manage multiple virus scan profiles in COMODO quickly and efficiently for use as needed with any profile dependant virus scan options.

The final, essential, virus scan option provided by COMODO Antivirus is found not in the “Antivirus Tasks” tab, but rather in the “Windows shell” aka right click menu. When you find a file or folder on your system which you suspect of being a virus or other form of malware, simply right click on the file or folder in question, and select “Scan with COMODO Antivirus” to perform an immediate scan in the selected location.

Bonus tip: if you wish to scan multiple items in a folder, but not every file in said folder, drag select, Shift+left click, or CTRL+left click your desired files then right click and select “Scan with COMODO Antivirus” to begin scanning only your specified files.

While there are many more options for securing your system with COMODO Antivirus, getting acquainted with those discussed in this and previous articles in our series will give you the knowledge necessary to secure you system against virtually any virus threat which may present itself in the future. Enjoy!

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